ST. PETERS, Mo., Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. (NYSE: WFR) today announced that the company has appointed Shihab Kuran, Ph.D. as President, SunEdison Advanced Solutions. Heading this new group within the company's Solar Energy Business Unit, Dr. Kuran will be responsible for energy solutions and markets that incorporate advanced grid management products and technologies. He will report to Ahmad Chatila, MEMC President and CEO.

"Shihab's successful track record of pioneering advanced renewable solutions and his experience developing marquee solar and smart grid projects make him the ideal person to lead SunEdison's Advanced Solutions," said Ahmad Chatila. "With Shihab on board, SunEdison is well positioned to further accelerate its market expansion in existing and new market sectors, and will be able to offer customers increased access to technologically differentiated, reliable and cost-effective solutions."

Dr. Kuran has deep experience in the technology and cleantech industries. Most recently, he was founder, President and CEO of Petra Solar, a company that pioneered "smart solar" for the electric supply industry, which combines solar energy generation with smart grid technology. Under his leadership, Petra Solar launched the world's largest solar electric project in 2009; 40 megawatts with Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) of New Jersey. In 2012, he led the company in the largest rooftop solar deployment in the world, installing panels on 20,000 rooftops in Jordan; in 2012 he also led the company in launching a Smart City project in Bahrain.

Among other awards and acknowledgements, Dr. Kuran was recognized by Greentech Media as one of the "100 people you must know in Smart Grid in 2012;" by Ernst & Young as the N.J. Green Tech Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010, and by Fortnightly Magazine as a "top guru" in the solar industry in 2010. Prior to founding Petra Solar, he held various technical, executive and board positions in the semiconductor and cleantech industries.

He currently serves as a Board Member of the New Jersey Technology Council and on the Advisory Board at The Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurship at Fairleigh Dickinson University, as well as the External Advisory Board for Rutgers Innovation Park. He also serves on the Advisory Boards of the Edison Innovation Foundation and the Charles Edison Fund.

Dr. Kuran holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the City University of New York and an Executive Management degree from Harvard Business School. He is an inventor and has published over 40 papers.

About MEMCMEMC is a global leader in semiconductor and solar technology. MEMC has been a pioneer in the design and development of silicon wafer technologies for over 50 years. With R&D and manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, MEMC enables the next generation of high performance semiconductor devices and solar cells. Through its SunEdison subsidiary, MEMC is also a developer of solar power projects and a worldwide leader in solar energy services. MEMC's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "WFR." For more information about MEMC, please visit www.memc.com.